Books by Gavin Bishop

"Over a thousand years ago, the wind, sea currents and stars brought people to the islands that became known as Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud. Navigate your way through this sumptuously illustrated story of New Zealand. Explore the defining moments of our history, ca...ptured by celebrated children's book creator Gavin Bishop, from the Big Bang right through to what might happen tomorrow. Discover Maori legends, layers of meaning and lesser-known facts"--Publisher information.
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"Long before waka touched Aotearoa's shores, the land of the long white cloud was home to an array of creatures uniquely adapted to its environments and protected by its isolation. Encounter New Zealand's incredible wildlife in this spectacular visual exploration. Journey through... ocean, sky and land to meet a marvellous range of organisms. Discover fascinating facts, and learn how we influence the survival of our living treasures"--Publisher information.
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A sequel to Taming the Sun and Riding the Waves, Gavin Bishop's latest stunning book contains four more Maori myths, including two well-known legends (Ranginui and Papatuanuku and Hinemoa and Tutanekai) and two less well-known legends (The battle of the birds and Kae and the whal...e). Aimed at children 3-10 years, these myths are simply written and yet powerful. They're exciting and scary but each story is nicely resolved. Gavin allows the essence of the original myths to remain while also re-telling them for a new generation of children.The illustrations are stunning - the different colour palette for each story and the strong mix of techniques create bold and beautiful images. Counting the Stars is a collection that continues to take traditional myths to a new level. Created by one of New Zealand's most talented and passionate children's book writers and illustrators.
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"The House that Jack Built is a book with two strands. The main rhythmic text, based on the well-known rhyme, tells the story of Jack Bull, who travels to New Zealand from London as a new settler in 1798. "The detailed contemporary illustrations ... tell the story from a Maori pe...rspective - beginning with the myth of creation: Papatuanuku the earth mother, Ranginui the sky father and their children as guardians of the land. As the story goes on and Jack's house grows, Papatuanuku is shown in the illustrations to weaken and fade.
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A discontented sheep called Bidibidi begins a journey in search of a new life, but after a series of misadventures from which she is rescued by other animals she decides to go home.